Hoisting apparatus for handling cargo

ABSTRACT

Hoisting apparatus for handling cargo including a ball-andsocket joint secured to a support surface and having an upwardly and outwardly extending V-shaped truss consisting of a pair of booms joined at their upper ends by a rigid span. A mast house is disposed rearwardly of the booms and stabilizing lines are connected to both a prime mover and the free ends of the booms. First and second topping lines extend between the mast house, a prime mover, the crosstree on the mast house, and the free ends of each of the booms for respectively raising, pivoting and positioning the booms while first and second hoisting lines extend between the cargo to be hoisted, each of the booms, and a prime mover for respectively raising, transferring and lowering the cargo.

United States Patent 72] Inventor William S. Dodge 408 Fair Haven Road,Alameda, Calif. v 94501 [21] AppLNo. 51,917

[22] Filed July 2, 1970 [45] Patented Nov. 16, 1971 [54] HOISTINGAPPARATUS FOR HANDLING CARGO 11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant ExaminerFrank E. WernerAttorney-Mellin, Moore and Weissenberger ABSTRACT: Hoisting apparatusfor handling cargo including a ball-and-socket joint secured to asupport surface and having an upwardly and outwardly extending V-shapedtruss consisting of a pair of booms joined at their upper ends by arigid span. A mast house is disposed rearwardly of the booms andstabilizing lines are connected to both a prime mover and the free endsof the booms. First and second topping lines extend between the masthouse, a prime mover, the crosstree on the mast house, and the free endsof each of the booms for respectively raising, pivoting and positioningthe booms while first and second hoisting lines extend between the cargoto be hoisted, each of the booms, and a prime mover for respectivelyraising, transferring and lowering the cargo.

PATENTEDNHV 1 3,620,427

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WILLIAM S. DODGE )YlM ff Y /w%m/ ATTORNEYS PATENTEDHUV 16 I97! SHEET 2[IF 2 FlG 3 I INVENTOR.

WILLIAM S DODGE W fiVM/a v ATTORNEYS IIOISTING APPARATUS FOR HANDLINGCARGO BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Theinvention relates to hoisting apparatus; and more particularly, to acargo rig for ships.

2. Description of the Prior Art Conventional cargo-handling rigs involvecomplicated cargo-burtoning systems such as two independentlygoosenecked and guyed booms which often result in collapse and bendingas well as intricately involved rigging and high operating, maintenanceand securing costs.

It is necessary that such rigs enable a load to be transfered from onesurface to another, as for example, from a wharf or dock to a hatch on avessel, in a fast, safe and smooth fashion with a minimum of rigging andpositioning time. It is also desirable that such a rig have as fewmovable parts as possible and that stress failures due to faulty riggingand positioning of cargo gear be reduced as much as possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide animproved cargo-hoisting apparatus which requires a minimum amount ofrigging, maintenance and securing time.

It is a further object of this invention to provide cargo-hoistingapparatus which can be rigged and positioned by a single operator.

These and other objects are preferably accomplished by providing aball-and-socket joint mounted on a support surface and having anupwardly and outwardly extending V- shaped truss consisting of a pair ofbooms joined at their upper ends by a rigid span. A mast crosstree isdisposed rearwardly of the booms and stabilizing lines are connected toboth a prime mover and the free ends of the booms. First and secondtopping lines extend between the crosstree mast, a prime mover, thecrosstree, and the free ends of each of the booms while first and secondhoisting lines extend between the cargo to be hoisted, each of thebooms, and a prime mover for respectively transferring and lowering thecargo.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING I FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apreferred embodiment of my invention as applied to a marine vessel;

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical schematic view of the technique of my invention asapplied to a vessel adjacent a wharf.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing,FIG. 1, shows a cargo-hoisting apparatus which may be used toselectively transfer, hoist and lower cargo in accordance with theteachings of my invention. Thus, apparatus 10 may be associated with asupport surface, such as the deck 11 of a vessel 12 having a hatch 13therein into which it is desired to lower cargo into or, alternatively,hoist cargo out of, using apparatus 10.

A gooseneck 14 is disposed on deck 11 adjacent hatch 13. Gooseneck 14 isa conventional ball-and-socket joint having a ball 15 universallymovable within socket 16. A pair of booms 17 and 18 extend upwardly fromball 15 and are secured thereto by any suitable means. Booms 17 and 18form a V with ball 15 and their central longitudinal axes intersect atsubstantially the center of ball 15 (FIG. 2).

As can be seen in FIG. 1, booms 17 and 18 are joined at their upper freeends 19 and 20, respectively, by a rigid span 21. A mast house 22 ismounted on deck 11 rearwardly off booms l7 and 18. Mast house 22includes a raised base portion 23 having a pair of upright masts 24 and25 thereon. Masts 24 and 25 preferably extend upwardly and inwardlytoward the center of span as can be seen in FIG. 1. A

generally horizontally disposed crosstree 26 is mounted on the upperends of masts 24 and 25. As can be best seen in FIG. 3, crosstree 26 ispreferably disposed on a level below the level of span 21 when the planeencompassing booms l7 and 18 is in a vertical positions with span 21parallel to crosstree 26. Further, the overall length of crosstree 26 issubstantially less than the overall length of span 21 and the midpointof crosstree 26 is substantially coincident with a centerline passingthrough the ball 15. In other words, in practice. the midpoint of bothcrosstree 26 and span 21, when the plane of booms 17 and 18 is vertical,will be generally coincident with the centerline of vessel 12. Further,the centerline of vessel 12 will also extend through the centerline ofhatch 13 and gooseneck 14 as will be discussed further hereinbelow. Thelength of crosstree 26 is generally not less than the width of hatch 13.

A pair of vang or stabilizing lines 27 and 28 (FIG. 1) are secured tothe free ends 19 and 20, respectively, of booms 17 and 18 forstabilizing booms 17 and 18, as will be discussed further hereinbelow Aprime mover, as for example, a winch, is associated with the free endsof each stabilizing line. Thus winch 29 is preferably disposed on orbelow deck 1 l and connected to stabilizing line 27 while winch 30 on orbelow deck 11 is connected to stabilizing line 27. It might be notedthat any suitable prime mover means may be used, even manual means, thespecific type of prime mover means forming no part of my invention.However, in a preferred form of my invention, winches 29 and 30, and allthe winches and/or prime movers referred to throughout this application,may be hydraulically powered and interconnected in their pressuresystems through the use of bypass valves and the like (not shown) sothat they may be operated from the same location by a single operator.

A preferred line control arrangement will now be described forselectively transferring, hoisting and lowering cargo and selectivelyraising, pivoting, positioning and stabilizing the position of booms l7and 18. A first topping line 31 is secured to a prime mover, such as awinch 32, mounted on the lower end of support 24. Line 31 extends to asingle block-and-pulley 33 mounted on base portion 23 of mast house 22.Line 31 then extends vertically upwardly to a single block-and-pulley 34mounted on substantially the midpoint of crosstree 26, then to a firstsheave on multiple block-and-pulley 35 mounted on the free end 19 ofboom 17. The line 31 next extends to a single block-and-pulley 36mounted on the free end 37 of crosstree 26 adjacent the free end 19 ofboom 17. Line 31 then extends back to a second sheave ofblock-and-pulley 35 then to and secured to crosstree 26 at a point 39adjacent substantially the midpoint of crosstree 26. Obviously,depending on the mechanical advantage required, additional sheaves maybe added to blocks 35 and 36 as required.

A second topping line 40 is secured to a prime mover, such as a winch41, mounted on the lower end of support 25. Line 40 extends to a singleblock-and-pulley 42 mounted on base portion 23 of mast house 22. Line 40then extends vertically upwardly to a single block-and-pulley 43 mountedon substantially the midpoint of crosstree 26, then to a first sheave ofmultiple block-and-pulley 44 mounted on the free end 20 of boom 18. Theline 40 next extends to a single block-and-pulley 45 mounted on the freeend 46 of crosstree 26 opposite free end 37 and adjacent the free end 20of boom 18. Line 40 then extends back to a second sheave of the multipleblockand-pulley 44 on the free end 20 of boom 18. Line 40 then extendsto and is secured to crosstree 26 at a point 48 adjacent substantiallythe midpoint of crosstree 26. As with line 31, additional sheaves may beadded to blocks 44 and 45 as required.

A first hoisting line 49 is adapted to be secured at one end to thecargo to be hoisted and extends to a single block-and-pulley 50 mountedon the free end 19 of boom 17. The line 49 then extends down boom 17 toa single block-and-pulley 51 mounted on the lower end of boom 17adjacent gooseneck 14. From pulley 51, the line 49 extends to a singleblock-and-pulley 52 mounted on deck 11 and then to a prime mover, suchas winch 53.

A second hoisting line 54 is adapted to be connected at one end to thecargo desired to be hoisted and extends from the cargo to singleblock-and-pulley 55 mounted on the free end 20 of boom 18, then downboom 18 to a single block-and-pulley 56 mounted on the lower end of boom18 adjacent gooseneck 14, then to a single block-and-pulley 57 mountedon deck I l and finally to a prime mover, such as a winch 58 on deck 11.

In operation, positioning of booms l7 and 18 and span 21 is obtained byactuating topping lines 31 and 40 thereby pivoting ball 15 within socket16. By selectively actuating lines 31 and 40, the booms l7 and 18 can bemoved through various positions with respect to both the vertical andthe horizontal. Trim, once obtained, may be stabilized through the twostabilizing lines 27 and 28. Hoisting, transferring and lowering ofcargo attached to the ends of hoisting lines 49 and 54 may beaccomplished by selectively paying out and reeling in these I linesdepending upon the orientation of booms l7 and 18.

As discussed previously, all the prime movers may be hydraulic wincheshaving an interconnected pressure system whereby all may be operatedfrom the same console by a single operator.

FIG. 4 shows one application of the apparatus of 'my invention to thehoisting of cargo to and from the hold of a ship. Here, like numeralsrefer schematically to the centerlines of various components of FIGS. 1through 3. A bridle 59 is shown attached to the free ends of hoistinglines 49 and 54 and to a cargo load 60. A conventional spreader 61 maybe associated with bridle 59. Cargo load 60 may be, for example, on theorder of 10 tons or so with the length of booms l7 and 18 beingapproximately 66 feet, for example. The distance from the midpoint orcenter of ball to the bearing point (i.e., the approximate position ofblock-and-pulleys 34 and 43) on crosstree 26 is approximately 48 feet.The distance from the center of ball 15 to the center of span 21 isapproximately 65 feet.

Generally, the angular relationship between booms 17 and 18 is relatedto the width of vessel 12. For example, assuming an angle of 50 betweenbooms 17 and 18, that is, on each side of the centerline of vessel 12,if booms 17 and 18 are extended to the extent of the sides of vessel 12,the rigid span 21 may be disposed at any point intermediate the freeends of booms 17 and 18. The size of hatch 13 is then limited by the topposition of booms 17 and 18 at span 21. Of course, the angularrelationship of booms l7 and 18 may be varied in accordance with thesize and location of hatch 13. The cargo load 60 may be moved from aposition over the wharf 62 to the dotted line position (indicated bylike primed numerals) over the centerline 63 of vessel 12 and thus overhatch 13 by manipulating hoisting lines 49 and 54. The outreach of theapparatus 10 (i.e., the distance O.R. from the centerline through cargoload 60-coincident with line 54-to the adjacent side of vessel 12) is,in the example shown, on the order of 18 feet. As can be seen in FIG. 4,the centerline 63 of vessel 12 extends through the midpoint of hatch l3,gooseneck l4 and crosstree 26. By varying the relationship between masthouse 22 and booms 17 and 18, that is, the distances between both span21, crosstree 26 and ball 15 as discussed hereinabove, the stresses inbooms l7 and 18 may be varied. In other words, stresses in booms l7 and18 may be relieved by increasing the length and height of masts 24 and25 or by decreasing the length of the booms 17 and 18, and vice versa.The disposition of the masts 24 and 25 of mast house 22 are such so asto relieve bending moments about the center of crosstree 26.

In summary, a rigid span cargo-hoisting apparatus has been describedwhereby booms are moved through a variety of positions with relativelylittle rigging required. Further, the apparatus may be easily operatedby a single operator. Although the apparatus has been described withrespect to a cargo hatch in a vessel, obviously it is not limitedthereto and may be used to move any type of cargo from one place toanother.

I claim as my invention:

1. Hoisting apparatus for handling cargo comprising:

a ball-and-socket joint having a ball universally movable within asocket, said socket being secured to a support surface;

a pair of upwardly extending V-shaped booms connected to said ball, thecentral longitudinal axes of both said booms intersecting atsubstantially the center of said ball;

a rigid span connected to the free ends of said booms opposite the pointof attachment of said booms to said ball;

a mast house rearwardly of said booms secured to and extending upwardlyfrom said support surface and having a longitudinally extendingcrosstree at the upper end thereof;

a first topping line secured to a prime mover disposed on the lower endof said mast house and extending about first pulley means secured tosaid support surface, then about second pulley means secured to saidcrosstree substantially adjacent the midpoint thereof, then about thirdpulley means secured to the free end of one of said booms, then aboutfourth pulley means rotatably secured to the free end of said crosstreeadjacent said free end of one of said booms, then back about said thirdpulley means and then fixedly secured to substantially the midpoint ofsaid crosstree;

a second topping line secured to a prime mover disposed on the lower endof said mast house and extending about fifth pulley means secured tosaid support surface, then about sixth pulley means secured to saidcrosstree substantially adjacent the midpoint thereof, then aboutseventh pulley means secured to the free end of the other of said booms,then about eighth pulley means secured to the other free end of saidcrosstree adjacent said free end of the other of said booms, then backabout said seventh pulley means and then fixedly secured tosubstantially the midpoint of said crosstree;

a first hoisting line adapted to be secured at one end to said cargo andthen extending about ninth pulley means secured to the free end of oneof said booms, then about 10th pulley means secured to the end of saidone of said booms adjacent said joint and then to a prime mover;

a second hoisting line adapted to be secured at one end to said cargoand then extending about 11th pulley means secured to the free end ofthe other of said booms, then about 12th pulley means secured to the endof said other of said booms adjacent said joint, then to a prime moverwhereby by selectively actuating all of said prime movers, the booms maybe universally pivoted about said balland-socket joint while cargo maybe transferred, hoisted and lowered as desired; and

stabilizing means associated with said booms for stabilizing said boomsat any desired position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support surface includes anopen cargo hatch therein disposed between the free ends of said boom andspaced forwardly from the point of con nection of said socket to saidsupport surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mast house includes a pair ofupwardly extending masts secured at one end to said support surface andat the other end to said crosstree, the pulleys means on the lower endof said mast house having the first topping line therearound beingdisposed on one of said masts and the pulleys means on the lower end ofsaid mast house having the second topping line therearound beingdisposed on the other of said masts.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said masts are secured to saidsupport surface on a portion of said surface raised with respect to thepoint of attachment of said joint to said surface; and

each of said masts extends from a point on said raised surface disposedon each side of the point of intersection of said booms, then upwardlyand inwardly with respect to the point of intersection of said booms tosubstantially the midpoint of said/crosstree.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing means include firstand second stabilizing lines extending between rime mover means and thefree ends of each of said booms for stabilizing said booms in arelatively steady condition.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said prime mover means includes apair of prime movers, one of the pair of prime movers having one of thestabilizing lines connected thereto and being mounted on said supportsurface in a substantially vertical line with respect to the free end ofsaid boom to which said stabilizing line is connected; and

the other one of the pair of prime movers having the other of saidstabilizing lines connected thereto and mounted on said support surfacein a substantially vertical line with respect to the free end of saidboom to which said other of said stabilizing lines is connected.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein all of said prime movers are wincheshaving means thereon for selectively reeling in and paying out linesattached thereto.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support surface is the deck ofa vessel floating on the surface of a body of water; and

the centerline of both said ball-and-socket joint and said hatch and thecenter of both said crosstree and said span when the plane of said boomsis substantially vertical and parallel to the central longitudinal axesof said crosstree lie along substantially the central longitudinal axisof said vessel. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the length of saidcrosstree is at least as long as the width of said hatch.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said crosstree is generallyhorizontally disposed with respect to said deck and below the level ofsaid rigid span when the plane of said booms is vertical and said spanis parallel to said crosstree.

ll. Hoisting apparatus for handling cargo comprising: a universallypivotable V-shaped truss having a pair of booms mounted in a universaljoint on a support surface; a rigid span connecting the free ends ofsaid booms; a mast house mounted on said support surface rearwardly ofsaid booms; topping means extending between said house and said boomsfor universally pivoting the booms about said joint; hoisting meansextending between said booms and said cargo for selectivelytransferring, raising and lowering said cargo with respect to saidsupport surface; and stabilizing means connected to the boom tostabilize the booms at any desired position.

i i i i i

1. Hoisting apparatus for handling cargo comprising: a ball-and-socketjoint having a ball universally movable within a socket, said socketbeing secured to a support surface; a pair of upwardly extendingV-shaped booms connected to said ball, the central longitudinal axes ofboth said booms intersecting at substantially the center of said ball; arigid span connected to the free ends of said booms opposite the pointof attachment of said booms to said ball; a mast house rearwardly ofsaid booms secured to and extending upwardly from said support surfaceand having a longitudinally extending crosstree at the upper endthereof; a first topping line secured to a prime mover disposed on thelower end of said mast house and extending about first pulley meanssecured to said support surface, then about second pulley means securedto said crosstree substantially adjacent the midpoint thereof, thenabout third pulley means secured to the free end of one of said booms,then about fourth pulley means rotatably secured to the free end of saidcrosstree adjacent said free end of one of said booms, then back aboutsaid third pulley means and then fixedly secured to substantially themidpoint of said crosstree; a second topping line secured to a primemover disposed on the lower end of said mast house and extending aboutfifth pulley means secured to said support surface, then about sixthpulley means secured to said crosstree substantially adjacent themidpoint thereof, then about seventh pulley means secured to the freeend of the other of said booms, then about eighth pulley means securedto the other free end of said crosstree adjacent said free end of theother of said booms, then back about said seventh pulley means and thenfixedly secured to substantially the midpoint of said crosstree; a firsthoisting line adapted to be secured at one end to said cargo and thenextending about ninth pulley means secured to the free end of one ofsaid booms, then about 10th pulley means secured to the end of said oneof said booms adjacent said joint and then to a prime mover; a secondhoisting line adapted to be secured at one end to said cargo and thenextending about 11th pulley means secured to the free end of the otherof said booms, then about 12th pulley means secured to the end of saidother of said booms adjacent said joint, then to a prime mover wherebyselectively actuating all of said prime movers, the booms may beuniversally pivoted about said ball-and-socket joiNt while cargo may betransferred, hoisted and lowered as desired; and stabilizing meansassociated with said booms for stabilizing said booms at any desiredposition.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support surfaceincludes an open cargo hatch therein disposed between the free ends ofsaid booms and spaced forwardly from the point of connection of saidsocket to said support surface.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidmast house includes a pair of upwardly extending masts secured at oneend to said support surface and at the other end to said crosstree, thepulleys means on the lower end of said mast house having the firsttopping line therearound being disposed on one of said masts and thepulleys means on the lower end of said mast house having the secondtopping line therearound being disposed on the other of said masts. 4.The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said masts are secured to said supportsurface on a portion of said surface raised with respect to the point ofattachment of said joint to said surface; and each of said masts extendsfrom a point on said raised surface disposed on each side of the pointof intersection of said booms, then upwardly and inwardly with respectto the point of intersection of said booms to substantially the midpointof said crosstree.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said stabilizingmeans include first and second stabilizing lines extending between primemover means and the free ends of each of said booms for stabilizing saidbooms in a relatively steady condition.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5wherein said prime mover means includes a pair of prime movers, one ofthe pair of prime movers having one of the stabilizing lines connectedthereto and being mounted on said support surface in a substantiallyvertical line with respect to the free end of said boom to which saidstabilizing line is connected; and the other one of the pair of primemovers having the other of said stabilizing lines connected thereto andmounted on said support surface in a substantially vertical line withrespect to the free end of said boom to which said other of saidstabilizing lines is connected.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein allof said prime movers are winches having means thereon for selectivelyreeling in and paying out lines attached thereto.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein said support surface is the deck of a vessel floating onthe surface of a body of water; and the centerline of both saidball-and-socket joint and said hatch and the center of both saidcrosstree and said span when the plane of said booms is substantiallyvertical and parallel to the central longitudinal axes of said crosstreelie along substantially the central longitudinal axis of said vessel. 9.The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the length of said crosstree is atleast as long as the width of said hatch.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9wherein said crosstree is generally horizontally disposed with respectto said deck and below the level of said rigid span when the plane ofsaid booms is vertical and said span is parallel to said crosstree. 11.Hoisting apparatus for handling cargo comprising: a universallypivotable V-shaped truss having a pair of booms mounted in a universaljoint on a support surface; a rigid span connecting the free ends ofsaid booms; a mast house mounted on said support surface rearwardly ofsaid booms; topping means extending between said house and said boomsfor universally pivoting the booms about said joint; hoisting meansextending between said booms and said cargo for selectivelytransferring, raising and lowering said cargo with respect to saidsupport surface; and stabilizing means connected to the boom tostabilize the booms at any desired position.